The San Diego Padres welcome the Toronto Blue Jays to Petco Park on Saturday, July 11, 2026, for an 8:40 PM ET first pitch. Walker Buehler takes the ball for San Diego against Toronto right-hander Trey Yesavage. It's a marquee summer night matchup under the lights in the East Village, with Fernando Tatis Jr. leading off for a Padres lineup that features Manny Machado batting cleanup and Jackson Merrill slotted second. Catch it on KFMB 8.1 (CBS) or stream locally on Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health. Radio coverage is available on KWFN 97.3 and in Spanish on XEMO 860.

Starting Pitching Matchup: Buehler vs. Yesavage

Walker Buehler gets the start for the Padres. The veteran right-hander has had a winding road through his career, and every outing matters when it comes to building consistency and proving value over a full season. Buehler's ability to work deep into games and limit hard contact will be critical against a Blue Jays offense that can put together multi-run innings in a hurry.

Toronto sends Trey Yesavage to the mound, a younger arm working to carve out his place at the big-league level. Yesavage represents the kind of pitching matchup where the Padres' lineup depth — particularly the top of the order — should have a real opportunity to do damage early and set the tone before the Toronto bullpen gets involved.

San Diego Padres Starting Lineup

• 1. Fernando Tatis Jr. — RF
• 2. Jackson Merrill — CF
• 3. Xander Bogaerts — SS
• 4. Manny Machado — DH
• 5. Gavin Sheets — LF
• 6. Ty France — 1B
• 7. Jake Cronenworth — 2B
• 8. Luis Campusano — C
• 9. Sung-Mun Song — 3B

Keys to Watch for San Diego

Tatis Jr. Setting the Table

With Tatis Jr. leading off, the Padres want him on base early and often. His ability to reach base, create chaos on the basepaths, and force Yesavage to work from the stretch immediately puts pressure on Toronto's starter. A productive first inning from the top of the order could dictate the entire game's tempo.

Buehler's Command and Pitch Efficiency

The Petco Park faithful need Buehler to be sharp. Consistent fastball location and the ability to generate early-count outs will keep Toronto's lineup from settling in. If Buehler can work into the sixth or seventh inning, he takes serious pressure off the San Diego bullpen in a late-July stretch of the schedule where depth matters.

Sung-Mun Song in the Nine Hole

Song batting ninth is worth watching. A productive nine-hole hitter can effectively serve as a second table-setter for the top of the order, and if Song gets on base ahead of Tatis Jr., that combination could make life very difficult for Yesavage in multiple innings.

Prediction

Petco Park under the lights on a summer Saturday night with Tatis Jr. leading off and Buehler on the mound — this is exactly the kind of game San Diego should win. The Padres' lineup has the firepower to get to a younger pitcher, and Buehler has the experience to navigate a capable Toronto offense. Look for San Diego to take this one, 5-3, with Tatis Jr. and Machado combining for the critical hits that put the game away by the seventh inning.